Tubing and rod machine



Oct. 22, 1929. E, A, GOSNELL 1,732,466

TUBING `vlAND ROD MACHINE mllilll Oct. 22, 1929. E. A. GosNELL TUBING AND ROD MACHINE Filed Sept.4 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES ERNEST A. GOSNELL, OF WICHITA FALLS,

TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO PANHANDLE STEEL `:PRODUCTS COMPANY, 0F WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS TUBING AND ROD MACHINE Application filed September 16, 1927. Serial No. 220,017.

My invention relates to oil well machinery, and it has for its object the production of an improved device for pulling or lowering tubing and rods from and into oil wells more quickly and in a more efficient manner than has heretofore been possible. Specific objects of the invention are to make the machine light, easily operated and easily transported, so that it may be moved over ordinary ground and roads with ease from point to point of use, without cumbersome material, capable ot' doing anything that any other mast or pulling machine will do, with greater case, and to work successfully with any tractor and winch. Other objects will suiliciently appear from the detailed description hereinafter.

I attain my object by making a telescopic mast of metal tubing, the lower-mast carrying a pair of traction wheels and having a base structure romed in inverted Y-shape to permit .the operator to see through to the work.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the mast set up and in operation;

Fig. 2 is a view at right angles to Fig: 1 with the winch and the hauling parts omitted Fig. 3 is a side view of the machine dismounted and swung into a horizontal position on its chassis ready for transportation;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the topmast (foreshortoned) and the upper part of the lowermast (in section) showing their interconnection and mode of relative travel.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2. 1 is the lowermast, 2 is the topmast telescoping therein, and 3 is the base trame with the horizontal base member 4. All these members, 1,2, 3 and 4 are tubular and the parts 1, 3 and 4 are welded together so as to form arigid integral unitary structure. The lowermast 1 is preferably provided with footholds 5 and also with horizontal openings 6 through which the bolt or pin 7 may be inserted to support the topmast 2 in any position desired (see Fig. 4). The base tube 4 carries eyes 8 by means of which it may be chained to stakes, or if desired as shown in Fig. 1 secured to railroad irons or the like embedded in the earth. At its upper end the lower-mast 1 carries a collar 9 permanently shrunk, welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. At one side, with its axis parallel to the base member 4, is a sheave 10 ournalled in ears 11 on the collar 9. A hoisting rope 12 passes over this sheave and down inside the lowermast to the toot of the topmast where it is secured as shown in Fig. 4 to be presently described. Eyes such as 39 for guys are on four sides ot the collar.

Approximately midway of the length of the combined structure secure upon the lowermast a chassis composed of side frame members 13, cradle member 13a and cross member 14, carrying the axle 15 upon which are secured the wheels 16. The frame members 13 are secured to the cradle by bolts 17, and the cradle upon the mast by yokes 18 or equivalent devices. Itwill be noted that the axle 15 lies in a plane parallel to the base member tube 4, and this arrangement has a definite purpose, in that it brings the base tube horizontal when the wheels are on the ground, and also permits the base tube to be dropped on the ground in setting up the device, secured in place and thereafter hoisted by means of a single guy, the other guy ropes serving merely to steady it.

The Y-shaped arrangement at the base is constructed specifically in that manner for the purpose of allowing the man operating the tractor and winch to see exactly what is going on in front of him, in lowering into the well or pulling out of the well tubing and rods, and the top ot the inverted Y must be high enough to enable the tractor operator to view the work in front of him. This teature or perfection in the base and Y to the practical operator means a great deal, in that it improves and quickens t-he work to be done.

A further point in this arrangement is the following: By preference I em loy a tractor .if

19 iitted with a power take-o and a winch 20, `and means for coupling it to the mast for transportation. In setting up the mast, the tractor is available, by backing oit to raise the mast, the base tube 4 having been dropped and secured to stakes in the ground, and the guy 21 or equivalent being applied to the winch. Other means may be employed to raise the mast, so that I am not confined to this arrangement, but it makes for eiiiciency and economy. A

The topmast 2 carries at its upper end a shackle 0r clevis 22 pivoted on a'bolt 23 (Figs. 1 and 4) extending' through the head of the mast. To this elevis is attached the end of the hoisting line 24 which passes down over the traveling pulley 25, then upover the iixed sheave 26 and then down as a hauling part to the winch 20. It should be here observed that instead of passing directly to the winch, the hauling `part 24'may` go through a fixed sheave at the foot or base of the mast in order to change direction of the haul for i thewinch. The weight of the tractor howv 2e ever would ordinarily be suiicient to balance the weighty of 'tubing being pulled, and this might be multiplied if desired between the clevis 22 andthe traveling pulley 25 by connecting another pulley lto the clevis, and then multiplying the number of sheaves in both pulleys so as to increase the number of turns or parts of the rope 24 between them.

The fixed vhoisting sheave 2G is journalled on a bolt vor axle 27 passing through a yoke 28 having side parts 29-30 extending down opposite Vsides of the head'oltl the mast and Y bolted or riveted thereto as shown at 31. rlhe yoke or strap 28 being thus of inverted U-shape, carries in its upper part a closed housing 32 constituting an inverted semicircular trough over the sheave, with eyes 33 .34 formed at its two opposite extremities for attachment of the guy ropes 21 and 35. Other guys 3,6-37 are attached to eyes on the Collar 9 at the head of the lowermast 1,

f and these are the lateral guys,- which supplement lateral resistance of the base member 4 in keeping the mast erect in the desired vertical plane. The guys k21 and 35 however are adapted to sway the mast back and forth into various positions in this plane, as required to exert a vertical pull upon the tubing 38 to be removed from the well which is secured to the traveling pulley 25 -by means of the yoke 39 in a well understood manner. In additien to the eyes33-34 or in place of the same,

I may also employ a crown piece with eyelets 41-42 securedl at the top ofV the yoke 32 for top guy Wires. This is a detail which is sometimes important in practice but it will be understood that this and other features are subjectto variations and modifications withlout ydeparture from the invent-ion.

Referring to Fig. 3, the entire mast is shown in horizontal position resting on the cradle 13EL supported by chassis members 13-14 on the axle 15 of the wheels 16. The base member 4 of the standard frame 3, being parallel to the axle 15 lies horizontal and the two sections of the mast are teleseoped to- `mast, by which it is accurately gether. In this position of the parts, the apparatus is ready for moving.

Referring to Fig. 4, the lowermast 1 is provided with the openings 6 already described for insertion of the bolt or pin 7 to maintain the topmast in any adjusted position. The topmast 2 runs through the collar 9 and at its lower end carries a support 43, which I have shown as a casting in the form of a solid flanged cap with a plug entering the lower end of the mast 2. This casting 43 has a fork 44 adapted to straddle the pin 7 in position, so as to maintain the sheave 26 in the proper plane, by holding the mast 2 against turning. Any equivalent arrangement may be substituted for the cap or plug 43 without departing from my invention.

'lhe operation of my device thus described is as follows: Proceeding from one location to another, the apparatus is telescoped and lowered into a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3. rlhe base member 4 then furnishes a convenient means for handling the device, or for attaching it to a tractor. lVhen going into operation, the base 4 is lowered to the ground, upon which it rests throughout its length. The eyes 8 are then secured by chains or otherwise to stakes or irons in the ground guy ropes are attached, and the mast is turned on the base 4 as a pivot, by hauling on the rear guy rope 21 in any desired manner. Then the mast is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the guys are secured, and the hauling part of the rope 12 is attached to the winch and the topmast raised thereby to the desired height, after which the bolt or pin 7 is inserted beneath the footstep block 43, through the -openings in the lowermast, and the apparatus is ready for operation. In this connection is should be noted that Figs. 1 and 2, while showing the mast in position for operation do not show the topmast hoisted up as it would be in practice, because of the limitation in size of a Patent Ollice drawing. It will be understood that the topmast 2 can be raised to any desired height by hauling on the rope 12, which of course is usually done before the tubing 38 is attached.

Particular points ot advantage in this design of a pulling mast are, first, the arrangement and method ot support ol the lowerand easily aligned with respect to the well, and given extended support; second, the provision of the chassis, whereby the structure may be moved on its own wheels, said wheels and the base structure being permanently related so as to automatically bring the mast in p0- sition for hoisting when it is lowered from the wheels, and automatically bring it in position on the wheels when it is lowered from hoisting; thirdly, the arrangement and relation o'l the parts so that the mast is maintainedrigidly in one plane, but is movable in said plane, with its sheaves and other con- IOS CII

nected parts, and linally, the arrangement of the open or Y shaped base so that the operator can see through and know what he is doing at all times.

It should be noted that the openings 6 in the mast 1 are reinforced at 6ZL withplate which may conveniently be ot dimensions 21/2 X 2 X 1/2. These plates are welded or otherwise secured to the metal of the mast.

YWhat I cla-im is:

l. In a tubing and rod machine, a mast composed oi' tubular metal telescopic sections, the lower section being formed in inverted Y-shape, with a straight body member, two oppositely inclined side members and a transverse base member, all integrally welded together, the upper mast section being a straight tube telescoping within the body oil the lowermast, with means to hoist the upper mast partly out of the lowermast, means to lock the same when hoisted, and a pulling sheave mounted on the top of the upper mast.

2. rl`he tubing and rod machine described in claim l, with the additional element of a wheeled truck comprising a pair 0'1" structural frame members rigidly and permanently secured to the straight body member of the lowermast, and a pair of wheels supported on said frame on a common axis parallel to the axis ot the transverse base member or the Y.

3. rl`he tubing and rod machine described in claim l, with means maintaining the axis of the pulling sheave at all times parallel with the axis of the truck and the axis of the tubular base member.

a. The tubing and rod machine described in claim l, together with means for anchoring the base tubular member adjacent to the point ot work, and means for raising and lowering the entire mast around the axis of the tubular base member.

5. The tubing and rod machine described in claim l, with the additional elements of a power Winch located on the opposite side oi'r the mast from the point of work, with a hoisting rope having its hauling part connected to said winch and passing up over the pulling sheave and then down vertically above the point of work, said winch and said hoisting rope being so arranged as to leave the Y base of the mast always open and clear of obstruction so that the operator may observe the work therethrough.

6. The tubing and rod machine described in claim l, with locking means for the upper mast comprising a transverse bar passing through opposite openings in the lowermast and reenforced bearing means for said bari 7. The tubing and rod machine claimed in claim l, with locking means for the upper mast comprising a transverse bar extending through openings in opposite sides of the lowermast and plates of metal welded to the signature.

ERNEST A. GOSNELL. 

